BN state assemblymen turn screws on Terengganu MB

The sombre atmosphere of the Terengganu state legislative assembly for more than a year became heated today with seemingly endless questions from the Barisan Nasional (BN) assemblymen.

During the one-hour question time on the first day of the sitting, several questions posed to Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said also resulted in a tense atmosphere and a war of words between the BN assemblymen and Ahmad.

The session began with Din Adam (BN-Bukit Besi) asking for the name of contractors involved in the iron ore mining operation in Bukit Besi, Dungun, and its social benefits to the local residents.

Ahmad replied that the government had given its consent for the appointment of three companies to undertake mining in Bukit Besi.

He said the reopening of the mining area was expected to provide jobs for the local residents as the companies were required to ensure that 50 per cent of their workers were locals.

Dissatisfied with the answer, Din stood up and asked for the names of the companies and their capability, besides questioning whether the companies had really hired local residents as their workers.

“I only know about the opening of the mining area from a worker there. I am from Bukit Besi, live in Bukit Besi and am an elected representative for Bukit Besi. Yet, I know nothing about the matter,” said Din.

Ahmad explained that the Terengganu government was planning to reopen the mining area after the appointed consultant verified that the area held five million tonnes of iron ore.

Hence, the state government had appointed three companies on a five-year lease, he said, and named the companies as TBM Minerals Sdn Bhd, Cahaya Ikhtiar Sdn Bhd and Wahaba Wangi Shd Bhd.

Ahmad insinuated that Din was constantly absent from the sitting and hardly came to the State Secretariat and, thus, was unaware of developments in his own constituency.

A war of words also occurred between Alias Abdullah (BN-Alur Limbat) and Ahmad when the former disputed Ahmad’s answers on the financial allocation approved by the government to implement the Baruh Muring Tasek-Padang Leban-Sungai Bukit Payong monsoon drain project.

Meanwhile, when met outside the assembly hall, Ahmad said he saw the changes during the sitting as a positive sign.

“This is a good sign even though sometimes the questions should not be asked by the government representatives ... like they are the opposition ... but we don’t mind.

“We can also see the maturity in the elected representatives and the wisdom of the government in answering the questions. I have no problem with that,” he said.

The Terengganu legislative assembly has 24 BN assemblymen and eight PAS representatives



comments


dissolve the assembly and start a fresh election is the bestsolution.i believe the bn will chickenout.

The message is very clear that UMNO terengganu cannot work as a team. The end result, rakyat will suffer from their internal bickering. All figthing for their own gains but not for the people. Hopefully Terengganu people intelligent enough to sort the matter during the next election.

DO a search on the company and the directors and we will find if they have the capabilities or the capacities to undertake a mining operation? Will NOT be shock if they turned out to be farmers or fisherman. So th MB might as well give them the benefits of the farmers or the fisherman huh?

Have we not heard enough? Projects given to cronies? MACC should investigate this.